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Unity for the regional elections?

Anybody from the Cornish movement who has studied our Breton cousins struggle for self-determination will have undoubtedly been surprised by the number of Breton political parties that exist – 6 or perhaps 7 at the last count.

What unity when faced with a common foe then? Well perhaps that is what we are witnessing with the historic deal that has been concluded between the UDB and MBP (both left-of-centre) for the regional elections in December. Together they have created the left-wing electoral platform: Oui la Bretagne.

Yesterday (Monday 21 September) a well known Breton politician and leader of the ‘Oui la Bretagne’ (Yes Brittany) movement was in Wales for an official reception at the Senedd (Welsh Assembly) in Caerdydd/Cardiff.

Christian Troadec, Mayor of Karez (Carhaix) was welcomed by Plaid Cymru AM Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas, who was leader of Plaid Cymru between 1984 and 1991 and the first ever President of the Welsh Assembly in 1999 following the referendum on devolution of 1997.

The main aim of the visit was to demonstrate to the Breton people the economic and political impact that devolution could have for Breizh (Brittany), if it followed the example of Cymru (Wales). Celtic League member Dominig Kervegant explained: “The figures talk for themselves. In the administrative region of Brittany – not including the Nantes area (!) – the population is 3.2 million people, which is roughly equivalent to that of Wales. Nevertheless the Welsh devolution budget is 25 times the size of that of Brittany’s!“The Welsh Parliament also has legislative powers, which allows the Welsh Assembly to vote for its own laws on the economy, culture, the Welsh language, health and in many other domains.”Speaking at the Assembly Mr Troadec said: “La Bretagne, elle aussi, a un grand besoin de plus de pouvoirs de décision et de moyens pour répondre aux enjeux d’aujourd’hui.” (Brittany too is craving more legislative powers in order to meet the challenges of today)